Experimentation
by NinjaMoose
Summary: Something went horribly wrong when Ulquiorra was ordered to investigate the means of Szayel's death. He didn't know how he got there, but he didn't exactly like being on an operating table in Mayuri Kurotsuchi's reseach lab.
1. Chapter 1

Mayuri is a nutcase. Ulquiorra is an excelent test subject.

I don't own Bleach. :D Didn't see that coming?

* * *

Ulquiorra was not entirely sure how he ended up in this situation.

His mind was a messy blur of random sounds and the white coloring of Hueco Mundo. And pink. For some reason he thought of Szayel. Why…? Why Szayel…? Oh. That's right. He had just died. Szayel had been defeated by one of those trash Shinigami captains that had come to help that other trash Shinigami, and presumably attempt to rescue the woman.

Aizen had ordered Ulquiorra to….to…

His memory got blurriest then.

His consciousness was back, although he almost preferred to not know about his current surroundings.

Ulquiorra was in the Soul Society, held captive in a brightly lit room that served as a temporary jail cell. It was clearly day, sun shining obnoxiously though a north-facing window. Out the window he could see vibrant green grass, smooth white buildings different than those in Hueco Mundo, and a perfect blue sky.

It made him sick.

He hated all the color. He hated all the warmth and welcoming the sun's light gave. He hated how the Shinigami walked around freely, smiling and waving to each other. He wanted the clear cut black and white of Hueco Mundo, where it wasn't safe to make eye contact, where it wasn't safe to go where you pleased, where you didn't have freedom.

At least with Hueco Mundo, you knew exactly how everything went: however Aizen wanted everything to go. But here…

Here were emotions. Here were options. Here were opinions, expressions, and feelings.

Ulquiorra hated it all.

He hated even more how stupid the Shinigami were.

The way he felt, he figured he had been brought to the Soul Society five days ago, regaining consciousness three days ago. And he hadn't eaten since he'd gotten here.

Sure, the Shinigami had tried to feed him. He had seen plates in his room when he'd woken up. The woman had come in the past two days to give him food, which he didn't eat. Eating it would be a contradiction, he thought, plus it wasn't what he needed.

Hollows ate souls and other hollows. Spiritual energy was like their equivalent of water or air. Arrancar were hollows. Apparently the Shinigami were not smart enough to realize this, or they forgot he was an arrancar.

Either way, Ulquiorra was hungry.

The sun had started to set, and Ulquiorra rolled on his side to stare out the window from the small bed in the room. He decided staring at the colors outside his room, hating them was better than lying there, staring at the ceiling and thinking of the gnawing feeling in his empty stomach.

Once the sun had completely set, two Shinigami entered his room. Ulquiorra was vaguely aware of the click of his door opening. He felt them pick him up off his bead. Warm hands gripped his arms just below the shoulder so he could stand and walk on his own. The fatigue he felt prevented him from caring about who was taking him where ever they were going.

Left turn, right turn, another right turn…

Outside, left, right, left, left…

Back inside…

They must have been walking for at least fifteen minutes. Ulquiorra had mostly woken out of his sleepy state and looked up at the door they stopped at. A large number "12" was printed on it. The door opened ominously and there stood someone familiar… Szayel's killer.

"About time," the 12th division captain glared.

Mayuri Kurotsuchi.

* * *

NEXT CHAPTER: Ulquiorra goes under the knife...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2?! Yes. It is here.

Kubo Tite still owned Bleach. Not me.

* * *

The Twelfth division lab was dark. The walls were lined with shelves and glass tubes filled with liquid of all colors and densities. Multiple dark grey cabinets stood tall, somehow casting shadows in the near perfect blackness. The only light came from a small lamp near the operating table and some of the glowing tubes. Ulquiorra looked around. He couldn't clearly define anything other than the cabinets, tubes, and the table, which the labhands brought him to.

Somehow, they had removed his shirt. His back hit the cold metal table with the dull thud as they unceremoniously dropped him. Each shinigami grabbed either a wrist or ankle and tied him down with what felt like leather. He glanced over at the restraints. Yes, very much like leather, but had the strength of steel. At full health it wouldn't be a problem but in his current state they were more than enough to hold him down.

His eyes shifted back and he came face to face with golden eyes.

"Hm," The captain stared.

Ulquiorra stared back.

Without looking up Mayuri spoke, "You all may leave. Do not mention this to anyone. If I come to hear of any information leaking, you'll all be on this table next. Am I clear?" Soft gasps and quick nods followed by flash steps told the scientist he was understood.

"Welcome, espada." Mayuri smiled a wide, yellow smile. He then quickly moved over to one of the cabinets and hit a button. The cabinet turned out to be a computer. Ulquiorra didn't know much of computers, only what he had seen of Szayel's and Gin's. Mayuri typed quickly, the screen mostly covered by his strange mask and hair. Ulquiorra wanted to fall asleep, and the rhythmic typing just made him more tired.

The door slid open as Nemu walked in. "Preparations are complete, Mayuri-sama," She spoke.

"Good, good," he turned from the computer to Ulquiorra. His gold eyes shone eerily from the artificial computer light. "Espada…"

Ulquiorra twitched. Almost asleep. Almost.

Mayuri paced back and forth the right side of the table, "I'm going to conduct a set of experiments. You- you are going to be a good little subject and not struggle. I can make this mostly painless, or I can make this extremely painful. I'm feeling generous tonight, so be thankful, but don't push me."

Ulquiorra didn't answer. Mayuri grinned.

"Open the door, Nemu." Nemu typed a code into the computer, "Yes, Mayuri-sama."

Spiritual energy does not have a scent. It doesn't have a flavor. What it does have is presence and thickness. You could feel it. Ulquiorra's eyes shot open when he sensed the spiritual energy coming from the door that opened in one of the lab's corner rooms. His stomach tightened. Mayuri's grin widened.

"Let's start the first experiment."

* * *

What's the first experiment? What's Mayuri planning? Find out in chapter 3!

R&R!


	3. Chapter 3

I'm not really sure why but I like hungry characters. *shrug* I know people were looking forward to this chapter so I hope it doesn't dissappoint. ^__^;;

Tite Kubo, he, my friends, owns Bleach. Realy.

* * *

Ulquiorra shook on the table.

He was weak; the restrains were strong, but not as strong as his instincts.

Hollow instinct was gluttonous. Their mind set was always eat or be eaten, consume whatever is available. Lower rank hollow will seek human souls in times of need, but high ranked hollows, they prefer something more….cannibalistic.

Mayuri watched his subject struggle with the restrains on his wrists and ankles. The espada's expression didn't change, but his eyes were shut tight, as if trying to resist, or hold something back. Mayuri grinned a smile that was known to chase away many lab assistances. Nemu stood obediently by his side, not even fazed by the toothy grin. The captain slightly raised his hand, and Nemu jotted down some notes on the clip board she held close to her.

Ulquiorra hated himself right then. He was better than normal hollows, most arrancar even. He was an espada, for crying out loud. There was no reason why he couldn't control himself. Self control was one of his strongest aspects. Was a little hunger going to ruin that? Okay, so it wasn't a little hunger. It was a lot of hunger. Not enough spiritual energy in the air combined with…with…something, the something that the Shinigami captain had knocked him out with, put him into such a state of low energy his body was reverting to old instincts.

It had been a long time since he had felt the desire to consume souls. Raw souls, not the free floating watered-down spirit energy in the air. Ulquiorra felt like hitting something. No, scratch that: biting something. Swallowing something. Consuming something to make that disgusting, empty feeling go away.

Mayuri tilted his head when Ulquiorra's body stopped shaking. Ulquiorra's chest heaved up and down, his eyes relaxed, and for a moment he laid still. Nemu glanced at the operating table with indifference, and then to her captain. Mayuri's eyes never left Ulquiorra.

Ulquiorra's mouth opened slightly.

The large hollow screamed.

Mayuri watched the other hollow, not the espada this time, thrash about. It kicked its legs and gnashed its multiple sets of teeth. It screeched in pain even though the espada, Nemu, and he were at least a good 200 feet away. The beast kicked over a nearby cabinet. The glass tubes all shook and clanked together from the force of its feet. Only three minutes passed before it stopped moving. The hollow crumpled up like a smashed spider and began to turn into dust. Mayuri's eyes slipped back over to the espada.

Ulquiorra's mouth shut and he swallowed.

"Nemu."

"I recorded it all, Mayuri-sama."

Mayuri grinned and walked over to the table. He looked down at Ulquiorra, who opened his eyes slowly and looked up at him.

"Now, now…what was that, arrancar?"

Mayuri traced down Ulquiorra's torso with the extremely long nail on his middle finger. Ulquiorra twitched slightly.

"Espada…Espada…" The scientist chuckled to himself, "I hope you're feeling better after you're meal."

Ulquiorra's eyes widened slightly. What was this mad man going on about?

"You know, or rather, what you don't know, is that we Shinigami are not idiots. We were well aware of your dietary needs, _hollow_. But we couldn't have you running amuck in the Seireitei at full strength now could we?"

Ulquiorra sighed to himself. Not only did he give in to primal urges, but he was being played with by this mad man. He thought Shinigami were supposed to be merciful. Why didn't they just-?

Mayuri grinned, "We want you alive, espada, just in a weakened state. Hopefully a full stomach will help you through the procedure."

Ulquiorra resisted the urge to roll his eyes. One hollow was not enough to "fill his stomach". It was just enough to keep him conscious for the next couple of days. He had the sneaking suspicion that Mayuri was well aware of this. The scientist seemed to know how to bribe and manipulate people rather easily.

Mayuri had migrated over to the equipment table and picked up a very sharp looking surgical knife.

"You'll behave for me, now, won't you…espada?"

Ulquiorra was beginning to hate that smile more than the sun.

* * *

Questions? Comments? The Game? :D Review please!


End file.
